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While the playoff races head down the final stretch, it’s never too early to ponder the moves that teams are going to be making this offseason. Whether it’s decisions on which pending free agents to re-sign, trades to make or personnel changes behind the bench or in the front office, all 32 teams have some big questions to answer.

For this week’s edition of the NHL Power Rankings, we identify those big summer questions for each club.

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors rates teams against one another — taking into account game results, injuries and upcoming schedule — and those results are tabulated to produce the list featured here.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the most recent edition, published March 17. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 80.99%
Next seven days: vs. TB (March 25), @ CAR (March 26), vs. NSH (March 28), vs. CBJ (March 30)

Boston’s big summer decisions likely hinge on what happens in the next two months. If the Bruins go on a long playoff run, will that satisfy Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci into retirement? If Boston doesn’t, will those veterans return for another season? And, after giving up a first-round pick to acquire Tyler Bertuzzi, will Boston attempt to — or be capable of — keeping him long term? The future isn’t always so clear when a team’s present is this exciting.

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 71.43%
Next seven days: vs. TOR (March 25), vs. BOS (March 26), vs. TB (March 28), @ DET (March 30)

Carolina has a choice to make in net. Both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta are pending unrestricted free agents. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov is signed to a four-year, $8 million deal that kicks in next season. Is Kochetkov the Hurricanes’ starter-to-be? If not, who is? And will GM Don Waddell look outside of Andersen and Raanta for that answer?

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 69.01%
Next seven days: @ BUF (March 24), vs. OTT (March 25), @ NYI (March 27), vs. NYR (March 30)

New Jersey swung for the fences getting Timo Meier at the deadline. But what’s next? Meier is a pending restricted free agent owed $10 million on his qualifying offer. Can New Jersey lock Meier up on an extension instead? Or are the Devils prepared to pay such a high price for one more season — with the same long-term status question looming down the road?

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 66.90%
Next seven days: @ CAR (March 25), @ NSH (March 26), vs. FLA (March 29)

Toronto’s GM Kyle Dubas is on an expiring contract. The most defining decision of the Leafs’ offseason will be whether to renew Dubas’ pact or bring on a new GM to take his place. It’s no secret that how Toronto fares in the upcoming playoffs will play a major role in that outcome.

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 65.28%
Next seven days: @ FLA (March 25), vs. CBJ (March 28), @ NJ (March 30)

New York has three key pending RFAs: Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. That triumvirate stands to play a critical role in the Rangers’ future. But how will each negotiation be handled? Does New York go long or short term on potential new deals? Will a single-year qualifying offer make more sense for one, but not another? How each scenario unfolds could reveal a lot about how the organization views each young star.

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 63.89%
Next seven days: vs. VAN (March 25), @ CHI (March 28)

Dallas has done well handling its business. The NHL roster is solid, but GM Jim Nill has also inked key prospects eyeing a jump to the pros. Identifying who’s ready could dictate the direction Nill goes this offseason. Does Dallas add from the outside again? Or will the Stars start counting on players from their prospect pool to step up?

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 64.79%
Next seven days: vs. WPG (March 25), vs. STL (March 26), @ CGY (March 28), @ EDM (March 30)

Los Angeles projects to have two key offseason negotiations: one with RFA Gabriel Vilardi, and the other with UFA goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. The 23-year-old Vilardi is having a career-best season; what is he worth to the Kings moving ahead? And after acquiring Korpisalo at the deadline — while trading Jonathan Quick away — do the Kings see a slot for him in the future, possibly in tandem with Pheonix Copley? Would Korpisalo want that type of role?

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 66.20%
Next seven days: @ EDM (March 25), vs. EDM (March 28), @ SJ (March 30)

Vegas has rising star Logan Thompson under contract for next season, but who will be the Golden Knights’ second goaltender? Robin Lehner is under contract through 2024-25 but hasn’t played this season following hip surgery. Can he make a comeback? The Golden Knights acquired Jonathan Quick at the trade deadline; is the pending UFA a veteran they’ll want to retain?

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 62.50%
Next seven days: vs. VGK (March 25), @ ARI (March 27), @ VGK (March 28), vs. LA (March 30)

Edmonton has a budding blue-line star in Evan Bouchard, who is also a pending RFA. Bouchard has built off last season’s 43-point effort with another strong campaign, and has blossomed further since Tyson Barrie was traded. How will the Oilers reward Bouchard’s standing as one of their top defensemen? Is there a bridge deal to come, or do they go all-in with a multiyear extension?

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 62.86%
Next seven days: vs. ARI (March 24), @ ARI (March 26), @ ANA (March 27), vs. MIN (March 29)

Colorado has only 20 players signed for next season — and about $13 million in cap space to use. How will the Avalanche wield their limited resources to remain a top competitor? Forwards J.T. Compher and Evan Rodrigues are playing significant roles this season, and both are pending UFAs; can Colorado retain them? Or will the Avalanche be seeking more economical options?

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 63.19%
Next seven days: vs. CHI (March 25), vs. SEA (March 27), @ COL (March 29)

Minnesota must find common ground with pending RFA goaltender Filip Gustavsson. The Wild have just over $11 million in projected cap space to work with, to spread among several players. But Gustavsson has been excellent this season, posting some of the league’s best numbers. Does Minnesota lean into that and offer him a long-term extension? Or can the club only afford something shorter? And how much cash will be left to fill gaps elsewhere if UFAs Matt Dumba and John Klingberg walk off the blue line?

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 61.64%
Next seven days: @ BOS (March 25), @ CAR (March 28), vs. WSH (March 30)

Tampa Bay’s commitment to win-now mode has left the Bolts’ with zero cap space and sparse draft capital over the next two seasons. When the offseason hits, GM Julien BriseBois will have to get real about whether the Lightning’s current pattern remains sustainable. Can they afford to keep patching in players and attempt another run? Or is it time to start rebuilding with the long-term future in mind?

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 60.56%
Next seven days: @ NSH (March 25), @ MIN (March 27), vs. ANA (March 30)

Seattle will need to address its goaltending. Philipp Grubauer is signed through 2026-27 but has sporadically played a backup role this season to Martin Jones — who’s a pending UFA. Neither netminder has been an ace for the Kraken. Is Chris Driedger — inked through next season — the guy? Can Grubauer regain his form? And how might GM Ron Francis secure Seattle in net going forward?

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 58.22%
Next seven days: @ LA (March 25), @ SJ (March 28)

Winnipeg could have a tough decision to make with Pierre-Luc Dubois. The pending RFA is one year out from being a UFA, and if he doesn’t intend to sign a long-term contract with Winnipeg, is this the offseason he’s traded? It happened with Matthew Tkachuk in Calgary. The Jets will have to get honest about Dubois’ status — and value on the trade market — sooner than later.

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 54.86%
Next seven days: vs. NYR (March 25), @ OTT (March 27), @ TOR (March 29), @ MTL (March 30)

Florida did literally nothing at the trade deadline. That seemed to indicate its focus was on the future — as in, this coming offseason. What will GM Bill Zito have up his sleeve, and how much will his decision-making be impacted by whether or not Florida sneaks into the playoffs? Do the Panthers require an overhaul? Or will sliding into a postseason slot prove Zito was right to stand pat?

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.56%
Next seven days: vs. WSH (March 25), @ DET (March 28), vs. NSH (March 30)

Pittsburgh has to see how this regular season plays out. If the Penguins don’t make playoffs, their biggest offseason decision should be whether to start dismantling the roster. Pittsburgh is among the NHL’s oldest teams. If the veteran-heavy roster can’t drive success, getting younger — via trades or free agency — has to be a priority.

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 56.94%
Next seven days: @ CBJ (March 24), vs. BUF (March 25), vs. NJ (March 27), @ WSH (March 29)

New York’s critical offseason decision — and possible negotiation — will be with goaltender Semyon Varlamov. He and Ilya Sorokin have been an excellent tandem for the Islanders. Obviously the Islanders would want Varlamov to stay, but at what cost? New York needs cap space to shore up other parts of the lineup, too. Will that preclude the Islanders from keeping pace with other offers Varlamov might receive?

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 57.14%
Next seven days: vs. SEA (March 25), vs. TOR (March 26), @ BOS (March 28), @ PIT (March 30)

Nashville has Barry Trotz coming in as GM. Will that lead to a new head-coaching hire too? Trotz will want to evaluate the Predators from top to bottom and put his own stamp on the club. And if Nashville fails to make playoffs under current bench boss John Hynes, could Trotz opt to make a quick switch to give the Predators a fresh voice to get behind?

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 54.11%
Next seven days: vs. SJ (March 25), vs. LA (March 28)

Calgary could face an offseason coaching conundrum. Will Darryl Sutter stay put if the Flames don’t make playoffs? GM Brad Treliving did his best stacking up Calgary last summer with Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, but is Sutter still the right guy to get the most of out this roster?

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 52.05%
Next seven days: @ PIT (March 25), vs. NYI (March 29), @ TB (March 30)

Washington has to rebuild its defense. The Capitals have four current NHL blueliners under contract for next season, and it was clear once John Carlson went down last December with injury that their back-end depth is lacking. That combination should lead to some seriously high-profile free agency adds from GM Brian MacLellan. That is, if Washington intends to keep its potential contending window open, which is a whole other discussion.

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 52.08%
Next seven days: @ NJ (March 25), vs. FLA (March 27), vs. PHI (March 30)

Ottawa has a looming saga on its hands with pending RFA Alex DeBrincat. GM Pierre Dorion turned heads acquiring DeBrincat last July, and while the winger hasn’t produced like he did in Chicago, Dorion didn’t attempt to trade DeBrincat at the deadline either. Now the 24-year-old will be an arbitration-eligible RFA owed $9 million on his qualifying offer. To afford that, Ottawa would have to clear cap space elsewhere. Is DeBrincat worth that for one more year? Do the Senators sign him long term or just let him go? It’s a pivotal choice.

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 51.43%
Next seven days: vs. NJ (March 24), @ NYI (March 25), vs. MTL (March 27)

The Sabres’ primary offseason objective could be simple as this: How much do we lean into our youth? Captain Kyle Okposo is a pending UFA. Ditto veteran Zemgus Girgensons. GM Kevyn Adams didn’t do a ton of adding at trade deadline. Will he opt to keep these familiar faces in the fold come summer to complement the Sabres’ rising core? Or does Buffalo target new additions instead?

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Next seven days: @ PHI (March 25), vs. PIT (March 28), vs. CAR (March 30)

Detroit needs a reliable No. 2 behind goaltender Ville Husso. The Red Wings leaned on him too often this season, to their own detriment. Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg are both UFAs. Who will GM Steve Yzerman target to give Husso the support he deserves?

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 49.30%
Next seven days: @ ANA (March 25), @ LA (March 26), vs. VAN (March 28), @ CHI (March 30)

St. Louis must address its defense corps. GM Doug Armstrong didn’t boost the back end last offseason, and this disappointing 2022-23 campaign has only highlighted how much St. Louis needs a blue-line revamp. The Blues have nearly $24 million tied up in Nick Leddy, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug and Colton Parayko, though. Armstrong might have to seriously work the trade market to make needed defensive improvements.

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 48.59%
Next seven days: @ DAL (March 25), @ CHI (March 26), @ STL (March 28)

Vancouver has to point itself in one direction. Are the Canucks retooling, rebuilding or trying to make the playoffs? This offseason is a time to decide. New coach Rick Tocchet is in place. He’ll be able to really put a stamp on this team. Vancouver must sort through an abundance of wingers and figure out whether veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson — signed through 2026-27 at $7.26 million per season — can still play a role. But it all starts with how the Canucks approach a critical crossroads and define where the franchise is headed.

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 45.83%
Next seven days: @ COL (March 24), vs. COL (March 26), vs. EDM (March 27)

Arizona is stacked with draft capital. What is it going to do with it? The Coyotes want to be a competitive team and have even exceeded expectations this season. With seven picks in the first three rounds of this upcoming draft, is there an opportunity for Arizona to use that as leverage in acquiring players to make them better now? The Coyotes’ cupboards have been stocked; is this the offseason they start taking a big step forward?

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 46.48%
Next seven days: vs. DET (March 25), vs. MTL (March 28), @ OTT (March 30)

Philadelphia already made a major in-season decision, replacing fired GM Chuck Fletcher with interim GM Daniel Briere. The Flyers’ offseason focus will revolve around restructuring the front office in full. Will a hockey operations guru come into the mix? They also must figure out a path forward — via total rebuild or something on a smaller scale. Trades and free agent acquisitions should take a back seat until then.

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 43.06%
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (March 25), @ BUF (March 27), @ PHI (March 28), vs. FLA (March 30)

Montreal must get Cole Caufield signed long term. The pending RFA is a face of the franchise now and was arguably the Canadiens’ best player before having season-ending surgery. GM Kent Hughes knows what value Caufield brings, and Caufield’s next contract should reflect that. But in a salary cap world — with highly paid veterans on the Canadiens’ payroll — it’s easier said than done getting negotiations over the line.

Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 38.03%
Next seven days: @ MIN (March 25), vs. VAN (March 26), vs. DAL (March 28), vs. STL (March 30)

Chicago’s biggest decision will be whom they select in the draft if that No. 1 overall pick doesn’t fall to them in the lottery. It would be a devastating blow for the Blackhawks’ rebuilding prospects not to come away with Connor Bedard. If the top selection lands with another team, does Chicago try to trade up anyway to pick at No. 1? Or settle on someone else? It’ll be fascinating to see what happens.

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 36.81%
Next seven days: @ CGY (March 25), vs. WPG (March 28), vs. VGK (March 30)

San Jose could be stepping into an optimal offseason to trade Erik Karlsson. The veteran blueliner is a Norris Trophy front-runner after years of struggling through injuries. Karlsson has four years remaining on his contract at a $11.5 million average annual value, which is not an easy burden for any team to absorb, but the Sharks must know to strike when the iron — and Karlsson — are hot.

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 38.89%
Next seven days: vs. STL (March 25), vs. COL (March 27), @ SEA (March 30)

Anaheim’s primary concern of the summer should be how much to pay pending RFA Trevor Zegras. That’s not a terribly tough decision; the Ducks need their star player in place for seasons to come. A major issue is what Anaheim’s blue line will look like. With a landslide of defenseman becoming UFAs, what path will GM Pat Verbeek take in putting those units back together? Are there internal options to grow? Or does Verbeek fast track with free agent signings to accelerate the Ducks’ process?

Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.43%
Next seven days: vs. NYI (March 24), @ MTL (March 25), @ NYR (March 28), @ BOS (March 30)

Columbus is purposefully waiting for the offseason to retool a lackluster blue line. The Blue Jackets failed to reel in Jakob Chychrun via trade, but there will be more options available on the market come summer. How GM Jarmo Kekalainen rebuilds that unit will be a big deal for the Blue Jackets’ competitive prospects next season and beyond.

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‘Split’ title 35 years ago? Don’t tell Colorado and Georgia Tech that

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'Split' title 35 years ago? Don't tell Colorado and Georgia Tech that

CHAD BROWN AND his Colorado teammates have gold rings. On each of them is a big number “1” filled with diamonds meant to commemorate their 1990 national title and the year they spent as the best team in the nation.

Across the country, Ken Swilling and his Georgia Tech teammates have their own gold rings, also with diamonds filling a big “1,” also meant to commemorate their 1990 national title.

Though their rings are nearly identical, members of those Colorado and Georgia Tech teams refuse to acknowledge that their seasons have a shared outcome. Players still won’t use the words “split” or “shared” when it comes to the 1990 season. Colorado points to its superior strength of schedule as the reason it is the rightful champ after going 11-1-1 and finishing No. 1 in the AP poll. Georgia Tech points to its unbeaten season as proof that it is the rightful champ after going 11-0-1 and finishing No. 1 in the coaches’ poll by one vote. Thirty-five years later, trash talk dies hard for two schools that played in the pre-BCS era and had no way to settle things on the field.

“Oh no. I would never say it was a split national championship,” Swilling said. “They can call us split, co- whatever they want to call it, but as far as Georgia Tech is concerned, we won the national championship in 1990. Heck, it took them five downs against Missouri to get the split anyway.”

“We were the best team in the nation. I have no doubts about that,” Brown says. “So people’s opinion about the Fifth-Down Game and people’s opinion about who should have won a national championship, it lands so poorly on me I don’t think about it. When someone says, ‘You won a national championship at Colorado?’ I say, ‘Yes, I did.’ ‘You don’t say you won a split national championship?’ No. Never once have I ever said I won a split national championship.”

Perhaps old scores will be settled when 1990 co- … er … national champs Colorado and Georgia Tech kick off the season in Boulder (8 p.m., ESPN), in the first meeting between the schools.

On second thought, maybe not.


IN 1989, COLORADO went undefeated in the regular season and faced Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl with the national title on the line. It lost 21-6, but their failure fueled their offseason workouts.

That, plus the memory of teammate Sal Aunese, who died of stomach cancer in 1989, drove Colorado as it headed into the 1990 season. But the first three games of the campaign did not go the way the Buffs had expected. Colorado was a surprising 1-1-1 headed into a game at Texas, having tied the season opener against No. 8 Tennessee and lost in Week 3 at No. 21 Illinois. No margin of error remained. Coach Bill McCartney had the team meet at a hotel where it usually stayed before home games. Players thought they would board buses for the airport.

Instead, McCartney called a meeting. He proceeded to lay into the entire team, calling players out by name for not playing up to their potential.

“Coach Mac usually did not make things personal,” Brown said. “This time, it was personal. He worked his way around the room, and I was the last one he got to. He turned to me and he said, ‘Chad, you’ve hurt me the most.’ He questioned my football character. For a guy who always prided himself on the way he played, that hurt.”

Brown dove into his playbook on the flight, and before leaving for the game, stared at himself in the mirror. He said to himself, “No one will ever question my football character again.”

Colorado trailed Texas 22-14 early in the fourth quarter, when running back Eric Bieniemy went into the defensive huddle and told his teammates, “Get us the ball back. We’re going to score. We’re going to win this game.”

Sure enough, Bieniemy scored a 4-yard touchdown with more than 10 minutes left to play, then ran it in from 2 yards out with 5:47 left for the winning touchdown. Brown finished with 20 tackles. Colorado players and coaches point to that game — and the speech McCartney gave his team — as the turning point in the season.

“Everybody likes to talk about the Texas turnaround, saying that I came out there and saved the game,” Bieniemy said. “No, it wasn’t anything special because there were times throughout the course of the year they had to uplift me as well.'”

Colorado dropped from its preseason position at No. 5 to No. 20, but by October, the Buffs were back to No. 12 in the AP poll. They’d still need some help to get back into the national championship race.

Players probably wouldn’t have guessed they’d need that help in Week 6 against unranked Missouri.

Before we discuss the infamous Fifth-Down Game, here’s what the Colorado players want you to know: Missouri tried to sabotage them from the start. In 1990, Missouri played on AstroTurf packed with sand. Colorado players said the school should have watered down the field before use.

That did not happen, so as play began, Colorado kept slipping and sliding all over the turf, slowing down its option game. (The Tigers, on the other hand, were familiar with the surface and knew which cleats to wear to minimize slipping.) Missouri led 31-27 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Then Colorado, behind backup quarterback Charles Johnson and Bieniemy, started driving. On first-and-goal from the 3-yard line with 28 seconds left, Johnson spiked the ball.

On second down, Bieniemy ran for a gain of 2 down to the 1-yard line. Colorado called timeout. The person working the down marker never changed the down. Colorado center Jay Leeuwenburg noticed and told McCartney, who insisted it was still second down. Meanwhile, a fan sitting behind the Colorado bench had a heart attack and was moved down to field level for medical attention, causing further distraction.

Colorado ran three more plays — and scored on its fifth down — as Johnson crossed over the goal line. The Missouri crowd chanted “fifth down,” and when the game ended, started throwing bottles and other objects onto the field. Starting quarterback Darian Hagan, who missed the game with an injury, said he took off his rib cage brace to shield quarterbacks coach Gary Barnett from getting hit.

“A lot of people say that we cheated and we should have given the game back and all this stuff,” Hagan said. “My response to that is, ‘Why did we cheat and what were Missouri’s coaches doing? Why didn’t they know what down it was? Everybody was out of it. The referees didn’t know. So they can blame a lot of people, but at the same time, we got a national championship out of it.

“It was human error. It wasn’t like we were trying to try to pull a fast one on anyone.”

Bieniemy said he legitimately had no idea that Colorado had used five downs until he saw highlights on ESPN. But he had to hear about the game constantly later in his career, when he became an assistant coach and worked 10 years for the Kansas City Chiefs and Andy Reid, who was the offensive line coach at Missouri in that game.

“Do you think I heard about it for 10 years?” Bieniemy says with a laugh. “I will say this, it was a great game. It’s one of those games that’ll be talked about for eons. But we’re not gonna give it back.”


ONE THOUSAND, FOUR hundred miles away in Atlanta, No. 18 Georgia Tech prepared to face No. 15 Clemson the week after the Fifth-Down Game. The Jackets began the year unranked, but players felt confident headed into the season after finishing 1989 with wins in seven of their final eight games.

Their defense began the season on a tear, giving up just 31 total points in the first four games. Once again, their defense came up big against Clemson, making a goal-line stand after the Tigers drove down to the 1-yard line. On eight trips inside Georgia Tech territory, Clemson scored just one touchdown. Still, the Tigers had a shot to win, down 21-19.

Chris Gardocki lined up for a 60-yard field goal attempt with a minute left.

“I was 10 feet away from him on the sideline, and I was telling everybody, ‘We’re done,'” Georgia Tech kicker Scott Sisson said.

But Gardocki missed, and Georgia Tech was off to its best start since 1966. That start got even better on the first weekend in November when the Yellow Jackets headed up to Charlottesville to play No. 1 Virginia.

Vandals had gotten into Scott Stadium the night before the game and burned a section of the turf, leaving questions about whether the game could be played. Georgia Tech quarterback Shawn Jones also said that same night, the fire alarm was pulled at 2 or 3 a.m. at the team hotel, forcing players to get up and evacuate.

“The atmosphere was like a championship playoff game,” Jones said.

But the game did not start out that way. Virginia led 28-14 at halftime, having flummoxed the staunch Georgia Tech defense.

“Some of our offensive players, they were asking us, ‘Hey, man, can y’all stop them? Just slow them down because we’re coming,” Swilling said. “And the look on our faces was like, ‘Man, I don’t know. This might be a long day.’ It just so happened that things began to turn offensively.”

Georgia Tech tied the game after two Virginia turnovers, and then it was back-and-forth until the end. Georgia Tech got the ball with 2:30 to go and the score tied at 38. Jones remembers feeling calm as the offense took the field.

He drove Georgia Tech 56 yards in five plays, setting Sisson up for a 37-yard field goal attempt with 7 seconds left. Sisson was affectionately called “Never Missin’ Sisson” by his teammates. Pressure never seemed to get to him. But as he was warming up on the sideline, he overheard punter Scott Aldridge asking the linemen, “How many diamonds do we want in our championship rings?”

“I kept hearing that, and I thought, ‘I don’t have a choice. I’ve got to make this kick,” Sisson says with a laugh. “These guys are designing the ring. So, like, no pressure, right?”

Sisson nailed the kick. The unbeaten season lived on for another weekend.


COLORADO ENTERED THE Orange Bowl No. 1 in both polls at 10-1-1. It was facing Notre Dame in a rematch. Georgia Tech entered the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, ranked No. 2 at 10-0-1 and facing Nebraska, which Colorado had beaten earlier in the season.

The Buffaloes thought a win over the Irish would seal their championship season in both polls. Georgia Tech, however, felt a win over Nebraska could possibly leap them ahead.

“I didn’t really think that Colorado was better than we were,” Jones said. “So when we went into the game, I thought, ‘If we handle our business, we should be No. 1.’ We didn’t know how it was going to turn out. We just believed it would.”

Georgia Tech handled Nebraska 45-21 to finish a remarkable season without a loss. The team returned to its hotel in Orlando to watch Colorado in the Orange Bowl later that night.

The Buffaloes told themselves they could not lose to the Irish again. Adversity hit early, when Hagan went down with a knee injury. Johnson entered the game and strained his hamstring, but played through it. The game turned into a defensive showcase. Colorado clung to a 10-9 lead with 1:05 remaining.

The Buffaloes were forced to punt. Notre Dame had Raghib “The Rocket” Ismail, the best returner in the nation, waiting deep. Swilling, watching with teammates, turned to them and said, ‘Watch this. Rocket is about ready to take it to the house.'”

Sure enough, Ismail took the punt and turned right, hit a crease and raced in for the touchdown. Georgia Tech players described their hotel vibrating and shaking in celebration.

“The crazy thing about that was, I remember Coach Mac telling our punter to kick it out of bounds,” Hagan says. “It was a bad snap, and he got rushed, so he just kicked it right down the middle. And everybody just looked at each other like, ‘Oh, no.’ When he scored everybody was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Here we go again.'”

But the wave of emotions tilted in another direction, for all three teams.

There was a flag down on the field.

“We knew it was against them,” Hagan said. “We went from frustrated and hurt to elated all in a matter of two seconds.”

Notre Dame safety Greg Davis was called for clipping. The touchdown came off the board. Colorado ended up holding on to win, capping what it believed would be a No. 1 finish in both polls.

“It was surreal,” Johnson said. “It was the end of a journey that started two years before, and the way it played out was a metaphor for life. There was never a linear path to our championship. There were all kinds of fits and starts, disappointments, high points. As a collective, we got it done. And the party was on.”

The final polls did not come out that night. Early the next morning, the phone rang in Sisson’s hotel room in Orlando. His roommate shoved the phone into his hand.

It was a radio station Sisson had never heard of. First question: Do you think that you deserve the national championship? What Sisson didn’t know when he answered, groggy and half asleep, was there was also a Colorado player on the line.

“I tried to take the middle of the road,” Sisson said. “I said, ‘I don’t know what else we could do. We were undefeated.’ I had no idea that they were setting me up. I don’t remember who it was, I don’t even think I got his name, but the Colorado player says, ‘Oh, we deserve it, and he started ripping into us, like our strength of schedule. I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. I am not awake. I am not up for this conversation right now.'”

The teams did not find out how the final polls had them ranked until they returned to their respective campuses. Colorado was the AP champion, with 39 first-place votes compared to 20 for Georgia Tech. But in a stunning reversal, Georgia Tech finished No. 1 in the UPI coaches’ poll — by one point. For the first time in UPI coaches’ poll history, the No. 1 team entering its final game did not finish No. 1 after a bowl victory.

Colorado players always suspected Nebraska coach Tom Osborne had changed his vote to Georgia Tech. Osborne admitted for the first time this week that he did in fact do that, telling USA Today he changed his vote for two reasons: the Fifth-Down Game, and the fact that Georgia Tech beat Nebraska more handily than Colorado.

“That was extremely disappointing, that our rival and our fellow conference member did that,” Johnson said. “We went into Lincoln under extremely hostile conditions to win that football game that propelled us to the national championship. I thought for someone who was, by all accounts, an extremely classy man, that was one of the most classless things I’ve experienced.”

Without a unanimous champion, the question over who was better that season rages on. Neither team visited the White House, but Swilling said he and his teammates secretly wished they could have settled the debate with a game in the Rose Garden.

After his college career, Bieniemy was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 1991. The following year, the Chargers hired Georgia Tech coach Bobby Ross.

“I used to argue with him all the time,” Bieniemy says. “I’m going to say this out loud. I would say, ‘We would have kicked y’all’s ass.'”

Now 35 years later, the two teams finally get their long-anticipated meeting. And it is all thanks to Colorado athletic director Rick George, who was the assistant athletic director for football operations at Colorado in 1990. About a decade ago, George made a call to someone he knew at Georgia Tech and said simply: “We should play a game.”

The series was announced in 2016, and George specifically chose 2025 as the first game in the home-and-home, knowing it was the 35-year anniversary of their championship(s).

“I just thought it would be fun and good for both schools, and it would be a good game that people would have a lot of interest in,” George says. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase what we both accomplished in that year.”

Memories of their shared … uh … championship season are never far from the minds of the players and coaches who experienced it. After all, that was the last national championship each school has won.

But with renewed interest in Colorado and coach Deion Sanders, and rising expectations around Georgia Tech in Year 3 under Brent Key, their game Friday has turned into must-see TV. Their shared history is just a cherry on top.

“This is an opportunity for us to have a lot of get back, a lot of talk, a lot of pride and passion, winning that game,” Hagan said. “Over the years, they’ve said what they’ve said. We’ve said what we’ve said. Now someone’s going to be able to win the game.”

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Coach Prime 2.0: What’s next for Deion and the Buffaloes

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Coach Prime 2.0: What's next for Deion and the Buffaloes

BOULDER, Colo. — The texts and calls went unreturned, so Warren Sapp decided to pay Deion Sanders a visit.

Sapp was concerned about Sanders, his friend, Colorado coaching boss and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer. In the spring, Sanders had left Colorado for his ranch in Texas, where he had spent months recovering from surgery to remove and reconstruct his bladder after a cancerous tumor was detected. But Sanders, who spends much of his life on camera, did not circulate the extent of his condition, even shielding sons Shedeur and Shilo from the details as they went through the NFL draft.

After several attempts to reach Deion Sanders, Sapp called once more and left a message.

“I said, ‘You call buddy at the gate, because I’ll be at the front this afternoon,’ and the gate was open,'” Sapp told ESPN. “I went to see him. I’m just that guy. I’m a bull in a china shop. I’m going through the front door.”

Sapp, who reached seven Pro Bowls by busting through barriers to grab ball carriers, had a similar, albeit gentler, mission in mind with Sanders.

“I just wanted to see my man and put my hands on him and hug him,” Sapp said. “I just wanted him to tell me, ‘I’m fine, I’ll be there.’ And that’s what he said: ‘I’m good.’ … I’m right back in front of him, and the jokes flowed, the stabs and the jabs. He’s still Prime, all day long.”

Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders is still at Colorado to lead his team, following the most serious health scare in a series of medical challenges. An athletic marvel who played in both the NFL and MLB, Sanders has had 14 surgeries since 2021, including the amputation of two toes because of blood clots.

“I had more surgeries out of the game than I did in the game,” he said.

But the setbacks haven’t removed him from the Buffaloes’ sideline, where he will be Friday night as Colorado opens the season against Georgia Tech at Folsom Field (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Although Sanders is beginning his third year with the Buffaloes, after a five-win improvement last fall, he’s truly kicking off Phase 2 of his time at CU.

Colorado no longer has Sanders’ sons Shedeur and Shilo on the field. The pair of players who headlined the past two Buffaloes seasons, Shedeur and Travis Hunter — the two-way marvel and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner — is gone. So are others from a pass-heavy offense that was fun to watch but also faded in key moments.

So what would Deion 2.0 like to be? A team designed to excel more at the line of scrimmage, display better run-pass balance on offense and transition from finesse to physicality. Players will be coached by a staff perhaps unlike any in college football history, featuring three Pro Football Hall of Famers in Sanders as well as Sapp — the team’s defensive pass rush coordinator after a season as a quality control analyst — and Marshall Faulk, the former NFL MVP who is overseeing the running backs. Faulk was hired in February.

Colorado also is getting a new version of Sanders, who hasn’t lost any charisma but also has a different view on life.

“I’m a better man now than I was two years ago, because of things that God has allowed me to go through …” he said. “So I’m a better man, which makes me a better coach.”

The question now is: Will he lead a better team in 2025?


ON AN AUGUST morning, after a team practice, Sanders bounded into a room and sat down behind a placard that read, “Coach Prime.” On the eve of his 58th birthday, he didn’t look or sound like a man who, months earlier, underwent a major surgery to address a life-threatening condition. The shades, smile and swagger were all there.

“I’m living life right now,” Sanders said. “I’m trying my best to live it to the fullest, considering what transpired.”

At a news conference last month alongside his medical team, Sanders was declared “cured of cancer” by Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urological oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. But his ordeal caused significant lifestyle changes. Sanders joked that he “truly depends on Depends” and that he and his grandson “see who has the heaviest bag at the end of the night, it’s ridiculous.”

Sanders’ bladder reconstruction causes him to urinate more frequently. A portable toilet has been placed at Colorado’s practice field for Sanders to use and could be on the Buffaloes’ sideline tonight and for future games.

Sanders has maintained a positive outlook, but there’s no downplaying what he went through in the spring.

“He showed me the [postsurgery] pictures,” Sapp said. “We are out of the dark.”

Sanders’ recovery in Texas kept him away from the team for several months. He credited his assistants with maintaining the program during his absence, especially the strength and conditioning staff. Sanders “never had to call 100 times and check on the house,” because he had confidence nothing would veer.

When Sanders rejoined the team in July, he didn’t hold back.

“Every morning, he rises to the occasion,” Faulk told ESPN. “He’s out there at practice. He’s not just a lame-duck coach. Like, he’s out there, he’s fired up, whatever energy he has, he’s giving it. There’s no difference in him before he had the surgery, to now. There’s been no falloff.”

Faulk laughed and shook his head.

“It’s literally amazing,” he continued. “It’s divine, in a sense. People are always listening to him praising the lord and [saying] God is good and this stuff. Then, to see the video, tubes hanging out of him, it’s like, ‘Wait, what?’ It’s crazy because it’s so hard to believe. But if you believe he’s been put on this earth to do something special, as he’s always done, then it starts to make sense.”


SANDERS WILL ALWAYS elicit a range of reactions. But the fact that he’s still at Colorado, without his sons on the field, at nowhere near peak health, is notable. When he took the CU job, many thought without the draw of coaching Shedeur and Shilo, he would be gone by now.

But Deion Sanders’ commitment to Colorado has extended beyond his family history. In March, he received a new five-year, $54 million contract that makes him the highest-paid coach in the Big 12 and among the 10 highest-paid in the sport. The money is notable, but Sanders, a marketing machine outside of his coaching role, already has plenty. The commitment is more significant.

Colorado athletic director Rick George called the negotiation “very easy,” even though the finalizing process took longer than he and others anticipated.

“We were both very thoughtful about what we wanted,” George said. “[Sanders] wanted to know that he was going to be at Colorado for a while. He loves the city, he loves the state, he loves the community, he loves the university. I just think he’s in it for the long haul.”

Sanders had no connection to Colorado before he arrived. His personal ties are much stronger in Florida, Texas and Atlanta, where he played for the Falcons and Braves. Sanders’ name surfaced last year as a potential candidate to coach his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, and could continue to generate buzz for other jobs if Colorado can build on last year’s success.

But for now, Sanders seemingly has set up roots in the Rockies.

“I don’t think that he has a desire to go to the NFL, because I think he has a desire to impact kids, and this is the way that he can do that,” said Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt, a former Colorado quarterback. “If he’s healthy, he’s going to coach. Colorado is perfect for Deion, just like Deion is perfect for Colorado. As much as that program needed him, and they needed him desperately, I think it’s a perfect fit for him. They gave him the keys to the castle.

“He can be completely himself. He can be totally authentic.”

Sanders isn’t the only one who feels as though he belongs at Colorado.


FAULK’S ARRIVAL AND Sapp’s promotion are not for show. They are there to help Sanders usher in a new way for Colorado to play.

The Buffs have made undeniable improvement since 2022, the year before Sanders arrived, when they went 1-11 and were outscored 534-185. Last year’s jump to nine wins was fueled in part by an improved defense under first-year coordinator Robert Livingston, who is back this fall.

But so much of Colorado’s offense seemed to revolve around two players.

“We don’t have his son, the quarterback that can score from anywhere on the field, and the unicorn that we’ve only seen once in a lifetime,” Sapp said, referring to Shedeur Sanders and Hunter.

The hope at Colorado is that its collective strengths can help offset the loss of genuine star power. Shedeur Sanders completed 71.8% of his passes for 7,364 yards with 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while breaking more than 100 CU records. Hunter was a modern-day iron man, leading the FBS in snaps played in both 2023 and 2024, while recording seven interceptions, 16 pass breakups and 153 receptions for 1,989 yards and 20 touchdowns in a Buffaloes uniform.

Their departures reinforce Colorado’s need to win through more traditional means. Over the past two seasons, the Buffaloes rank last in the FBS in rushing at 67 yards per game — 19 yards fewer than the next lowest team (Hawai’i). They’re also 132nd in both rushing attempts per game (28) and runs of 10 yards or more (66). Despite record-setting passing by Shedeur Sanders, Colorado also allowed 99 sacks since 2023, most in the FBS.

Colorado’s approach wasn’t sustainable, especially without Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Enter Sapp and Faulk.

“Nobody was pulling me off my couch but Deion,” Sapp said.

Faulk had never played with Sanders, but the two crossed paths while working as analysts at NFL Network, where Sapp also worked after retirement. Since retiring in 2007, Faulk had been approached by both NFL and college teams about coaching.

“I say this in the nicest way: I’m not a regular dude,” Faulk said. “If I’m going to work for somebody, or coach under somebody, it’s got to be somebody.”

During Sanders’ tenure, he has increased the NFL flavor of his staff. Former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur directs the offense, while former NFL players work with position groups such as cornerbacks (Kevin Mathis) and offensive line (Andre Gurode and George Hegamin). Byron Leftwich, a former NFL quarterback and offensive coordinator, joined the staff this summer. But the three gold jackets in the building speak from a platform that few college coaches can. Sanders, Sapp and Faulk have combined for four Super Bowl rings, five NFL offensive or defensive player of the year awards, 23 Pro Bowl selections and 13 first-team All-Pro selections.

play

2:08

Josh Pate: Being competitive means success for Deion Sanders

Josh Pate and Joey Galloway discuss what they think a successful 2025 season of football will look like for Deion Sanders and Colorado.

Faulk’s presence, and Hall of Fame credentials, are meant to boost the running back room. For Faulk, it starts with teaching the position. He will ask Colorado’s running backs to draw their favorite play on the whiteboard. Then, he asks them to draw the defensive set best equipped to stop the play and one where the play can be most effective.

“It hits as a player, just understanding, like, coming from him, what he’s done, he’s proof,” Buffaloes running back DeKalon Taylor said. “He’s not just telling us something that he hasn’t done himself. He helps make the game easier, helps slow it down, helps us truly understand it.”

In his role, Sapp is taking a similar approach, trying to teach the innate tenacity he played with to Buffs defensive linemen.

“I play 3-tech, the same as he played,” defensive tackle Amari McNeill said. “I love having Coach Sapp around, every day, on my side. He says, ‘Don’t wait for no action. Meet the action.’ It helps me play faster.”

Although the defense undoubtedly made strides in 2024, Colorado still ranks 117th in runs allowed of 10 yards or more, and 105th in third-down conversions against during Sanders’ tenure. The pass rush has generally been a strength, especially with Livingston’s aggressive scheme, but Colorado also gave up too many conversions.

“He wants to run it,” Sapp said, nodding at Faulk, “I want to stop the run and earn the right to rush. I believe in dominating the LOS, the line of scrimmage. I live that way. That’s the way the game’s always going to be played.”


DEION SANDERS SUBSCRIBES to the same belief. The difference now is Colorado thinks it has the roster to achieve that vision.

“The next phase is: We’re going to win differently, but we’re going to win,” Sanders said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be the Hail Marys at the end of the game, but it’s going to be hell during the game, because we want to be physical, and we want to run the heck out of the football.”

Sanders was referencing the Hail Mary pass from Shedeur Sanders to LaJohntay Wester at the end of regulation against Baylor, which sent the game into overtime that the Buffaloes eventually won 38-31. The Baylor game was one of just two that Colorado won by single digits, but the team hopes depth in areas such as offensive line and running back will lead to further dominance.

The offensive line was the weakest position group when Sanders arrived, but the group returns several experienced players, led by Jordan Seaton, who became the Colorado freshman to make 13 starts last fall. Colorado also added notable line transfers such as Xavier Hill, a first-team All-AAC selection at Memphis, and Zy Crisler, who started 28 games at Illinois.

“It’s kind of hard to fool the defense when you’re passing the ball so many times a game,” Seaton said. “So this year we’re going to balance it out and keep everybody guessing.”

Colorado’s emphasis on offensive line play shows not just in the number of players but coaches. After Phil Loadholt left for Mississippi State, Deion Sanders appointed three offensive line coaches: Gurode, Hegamin and Gunnar White, who leads the room.

“It’s a bunch of high expectations,” Hill said. “Everybody wants to play, everybody wants to be great. We don’t just have five, we have 10.”

Colorado also thinks it has capable options at running back in returnees Dallan Hayden and Micah Welch, and transfers such as Taylor (Incarnate Word) and Simeon Price (Coastal Carolina). Sanders said “at least” three backs will be in the rotation.

“I believe that they’re going to be far better at the line of scrimmage than they have been over the last two years,” Klatt said. “This is a program that is foundationally stronger than it was two years ago, foundationally stronger than it was last year, and we’ll just see what they can do in one-possession games.”

For Deion Sanders, Phase 2 at Colorado will bring adjustments. He has downplayed the shift at times, saying his job is easier without having to balance being a father and a coach.

But he also entered coaching because of his sons, and recently acknowledged it’s “not easy” without them.

“He’s building a legacy here,” Seaton said. “He started with his kids and he got to finish with them, but this journey, we’re his new kids now, so he’s going to finish with us.”

After a difficult spring and summer, Sanders looks forward to beginning a new chapter at Colorado.

“First, it was the challenge of coming to this level. Could we change the game? We did,” he said. “Then, can you consistently do it with the players you have? Can you win? We did. Now it’s: Can you do it without Travis and Shedeur? It’s always going to be a challenge, I don’t mind that. I stand up to those.”

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College football hot seats: Brace yourselves for potential blue-blood turnover

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College football hot seats: Brace yourselves for potential blue-blood turnover

The college football job market took an expected turn last year.

The headwinds of financial uncertainty, combined with a record number of jobs turning over in 2023, led to a quieter year on the coaching carousel, especially at high-end schools.

Last offseason, there was a dip in head coaching changes at FBS football, with 30 total. The year before, a record 32 jobs turned over, per NCAA statistics.

Notably last offseason, no jobs turned over in the SEC and there was just one in the Big Ten (Purdue). Only West Virginia and UCF turned over in the Big 12, and the ACC had three changes (North Carolina, Wake Forest and Stanford).

None of those jobs would remotely qualify as blue bloods, which has the industry bracing for what could end up being a big year for high-end coaching turnover. The carousel rests for only so long.

That has led to a fascinating tension that will serve as the backdrop for this year’s edition: In an era when a vast majority of schools are scrambling for resources and revenue, are schools ready to pay big buyout money to part with their coaches? For big movement this year, there will have to be one or two big buyouts.

“The signs are that it’s going to be a pretty big year,” said an industry source. “There’s 15 to 20 schools in flux, and it was really light last year. That combination lends itself to a big year.

“But the question is whether 6-6 is worth making a change when you need to find 20-plus million? I think the trend is going to schools looking not to make the decision.”

There’s a counter to that perspective, and it’s a peek at the college basketball market from last year. Places like Indiana, Villanova, Iowa, Minnesota, NC State, Texas and Utah all paid sizable buyouts to kick-start new eras.

“I think people are past the rev share issues,” another industry source said. “They were stalled out last year in the football carousel, but they didn’t have any trouble getting going in the basketball carousel.”

Jimbo Fisher’s football buyout from Texas A&M in 2023 was $76.8 million, which included $19.2 million within 60 days and $7.2 million annually with no offset or mitigation. That’s the Secretariat-at-the-Belmont runaway winner for the biggest in the history of the sport.

The second-biggest public buyout belongs to Auburn, which fired Gus Malzahn in 2020 and owed him $21.7 million.

If this is indeed going to be an active coaching carousel among high-end jobs, the Malzahn number will need to be toppled. And the Fisher buyout has a chance to be as well.

Ultimately, the case for an active coaching carousel starts with big-name jobs that are in flux, the so-called market moves that ripple through the industry. A majority of those potential openings — although not all — would involve heavy lifting from a buyout perspective.

One source pointed out that schools in the SEC and Big Ten will have new line items that could make a big buyout more tenable, as there’s an influx of CFP money coming.

One school told ESPN that it has budgeted an additional $8 million additional for bowl revenue for the new CFP starting in 2026. (The specific amount is tricky, as there’s a flurry of variables that make a finite number tough to pin down.)

That makes the particulars of the buyouts important. How much money is up front? Is there offset and mitigation?

Here’s a look at the jobs with the buyout tension that could set the market, as well as other jobs worth monitoring across each conference.

Jump to a topic:
Big buyouts | Other Big Ten
Other SEC | Other ACC
Big 12 | Group of 5

Big buyouts

USC | Lincoln Riley (26-14 entering Year 4)

Buyout: More than $80 million

Nearly everything has changed since Lincoln Riley came to Los Angeles. Most notably, the results. After an 11-3 debut in 2022, he has gone 8-5 and 7-6 with losses along the way to Maryland, Minnesota and UCLA. The splash of the hire has worn off amid close losses, media clashes and modest expectations for 2025.

His winning percentage with the Trojans is 65.0%, which is lower than Clay Helton’s USC winning percentage (65.7) when he was fired. It’s also nearly 20% worse than his Oklahoma win percentage (84.6).

Many of the core people Riley brought with him from Oklahoma have been removed or seen their roles diminish, with the firing of strength coach Bennie Wylie and the hiring of new general manager Chad Bowden recent examples of significant personnel changes around him.

Athletic director Jennifer Cohen didn’t hire Riley. She also has made clear that there are championship expectations. She has invested accordingly, including a new football performance center that’s under construction and plenty of staff infrastructure and NIL financial gunpowder.

Although firing Riley would generate eye-popping financial headlines, the understanding is that there is offset and mitigation on his deal. That would diminish the number owed him over time. He’s too gifted a playcaller and offensive mind to sit out through the length of his deal, which was originally a 10-year contract that began in the 2023 season. (His buyout to leave is minimal if he chose to go elsewhere, but leaving that much guaranteed money behind would be hard.)

Without high-end results, there will continue to be uncertainty. USC will be favored in its first four games, and then it enters one of the most difficult stretches on any schedule this year — at Illinois, Michigan, at Notre Dame and at Nebraska. (There’s a bye between the trips to South Bend and Lincoln.)

That means by Nov. 1, we’ll get a sense of what Riley truly has built in his fourth season and where his tenure is headed.

The best news for Riley is there’s hope on the way, as USC has the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, which includes 19 ESPN 300 prospects.


Florida State | Mike Norvell (33-27 entering Year 6)

Buyout: $58 million

This was unthinkable two years ago, when FSU went undefeated in the regular season and won the ACC. But since quarterback Jordan Travis’ injury and the subsequent College Football Playoff snub following 2023, everything has gone wrong for FSU.

In the wake of FSU’s 2-10 season last year, Norvell has overhauled the coaching staff, given up playcalling and brought in new coordinators. Florida State can’t really afford to fire him, but it also can’t afford to trudge through another miserable season like last year.

Norvell also agreed to a restructured new deal, which includes donating $4.5 million of his salary to the program in 2025. Effectively, Norvell took a performance pay cut. (He can earn that back, too, as included in the new deal is a $750,000 bonus for nine wins.)

The 2024 implosion came at a time when Florida State had actively — and awkwardly — been lobbying to find a new conference home. That bluster has died down, and the financials of leaving the ACC are clear. FSU’s need to get back to winning is rooted in those grander ambitions.

What’s important here if FSU does have to move on is that Norvell’s remaining money is subject to offset and mitigation. He’d likely be a strong candidate to coach again, which would blunt some of the financial pain.

Norvell went 23-4 in 2022 and 2023, which built up some grace. Here’s what no one knows: What is enough progress for 2025?


Oklahoma | Brent Venables (22-17 entering Year 4)

Buyout: $36.1 million

Oklahoma extended Venables through the 2029 season in the summer of 2024. The Sooners subsequently went 6-7 in their SEC debut, which led to some scrutiny of that deal.

Venables is popular in Norman, dating back to his time as an assistant. Like many defensive head coaches early in his career, he made a misstep at offensive coordinator that quelled the momentum from OU’s 10-2 season in its Big 12 finale in 2023.

There’s an athletic director shift coming at Oklahoma, with Joe Castiglione retiring. There also has been new blood in the football program, with general manager Jim Nagy coming in this offseason from the Senior Bowl.

This season is a fascinating litmus test for OU’s viability in the SEC. The Sooners have fortified the roster with a significant upgrade at quarterback (John Mateer), expect better health at wide receiver and have made holistic upgrades.

But the reality is that most teams are going to lose half their games in the SEC, and it’d be a poor time for Venables to have a bad year. The Sooners also play seven teams ranked in the preseason Top 25, and that doesn’t include Missouri or Auburn.


Wisconsin | Luke Fickell (13-13 entering Year 3)

Buyout: More than $25 million

Wisconsin ended last year with five straight losses and missed a bowl for the first time since 2001.

Wisconsin extended Fickell after last year, but that didn’t impact his buyout. There’s optimism for a change of trajectory, as Wisconsin is undergoing a schematic shift back to the school’s identity roots as a running offense. It will be a welcomed change after the failed Air Raid experiment.

The factor that has this job coming up in industry circles is Wisconsin’s schedule, which might make it difficult for the Badgers to take a significant step forward. They play at Alabama, at Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, at Oregon, Washington, at Indiana, Illinois and at Minnesota.

Wisconsin could be a better team but have a similar record. The institutional history, Fickell’s general track record and buyout expense suggest patience is likely.

Other jobs worth monitoring

Big Ten

Maryland: Mike Locksley’s strong run at Maryland took a hairpin turn last year, as the Terps went 4-8, 1-8 in Big Ten play and Locksley admitted he lost the locker room. There’s a lot of goodwill from Locksley’s three consecutive bowl games, which hadn’t happened since Ralph Friedgen’s tenure in 2008. But there’s also a new athletic director, Jim Smith, and an expectation to return to winning. Maryland is heavily favored in its three games to open the year (FAU, Northern Illinois and Towson), which could quiet things. Locksley would be owed $13.4 million if fired, a considerable amount for Maryland. He’d also have 50% of that due in 60 days, a sizable check for a university not flush with cash.


SEC

Auburn: Hugh Freeze faces a classic win-or-else season at Auburn. The Tigers have strong talent upgrades from both the portal and recruiting. But Auburn is not a traditionally patient place, so Freeze’s 11-14 record there needs to improve quickly. He’d be owed just under $15.4 million, which is expensive but not something Auburn would flinch at if there are modest results again. Don’t expect him to be around if Auburn has another losing season.

Arkansas: The goofiest buyout in college sports looms over any potential decision on Sam Pittman. If he’s .500 or above since 2021 — he enters the year 27-24 in that time frame — Arkansas would have to pay him nearly $9.8 million. To keep the buyout at this higher level, he’d need to win five games. If Pittman goes 4-8, the number would be nearly $6.9 million. Credit Pittman, who revived Arkansas from the depths of Chad Morris’ era and keeps on surviving. If he’s above four wins, Arkansas would face scrutiny for issuing such a bizarre contract and the extra money it’d cost the program to fire him.

Florida: The temperature on Billy Napier has cooled considerably, and the Gators have a top-flight quarterback and great expectations again. He’s 19-19 through three seasons, and his buyout remains eye-popping at $20.4 million. (There’s no offset or mitigation on the deal.) Athletic director Scott Stricklin gave Napier a midseason vote of confidence last year by announcing he’d return, and Florida responded with a strong finishing kick by winning four straight to close the year. Stricklin clearly has his back. And per an ESPN source, Stricklin has three additional years added to his contract, which now runs through 2030. That bodes well for Napier, as they are clearly aligned.


ACC

Stanford: General manager Andrew Luck’s first significant hire looms. With interim coach Frank Reich clear that he’s on The Farm short term, Luck needs to decide whether he wants someone from the college ranks or the NFL. What’s unique about this job is that the hire will be made through the shared prism of how Luck sees the identity of the program, not necessarily just a coach coming in and bringing the identity.

Virginia Tech: It’s a classic prove-it year for Brent Pry, who has two years remaining on his original contract. He’d be owed $6.2 million if fired on Dec. 1. He’s 16-21 over three years and 1-12 in one-score games, and Tech’s ambitions are clearly greater than that. Considerable improvement is needed, or Tech will hit reset as the administration appears motivated by the fear of getting left behind in the next iteration of the collegiate landscape. Athletic director Whit Babcock has hired Pry and Justin Fuente, which would mean his future could be in flux if a change comes here. ADs don’t often get to hire three coaches.

Virginia: There was a discernable uptick in investment and aggression by Virginia in the portal this offseason. That’s a sign the pressure is ratcheted up on Tony Elliott, who is 11-23 through three seasons. He entered a job with arguably the worst facilities in power conference football. He also dealt with unspeakable tragedy: the murder of three players in a campus shooting. UVA showed signs of progress last year with five wins, and that needs to continue. Elliott is owed more than $11.1 million if fired on Dec. 1, and UVA is more likely to need to direct that to the roster than a payout.

Cal: Can Cal do better than Justin Wilcox? It’s unlikely, as he has led the team to four bowls since taking over in 2017. Cal has no athletic director, landed in an awkward geographic league and is working to financially catch up to the rest of the sport. Wilcox would be owed $10.9 million if he’s fired, which would seemingly be too rich for Cal to handle. But with so much change afoot, there’s an industry expectation that something could happen here, as Wilcox could also have other suitors.


Big 12

Oklahoma State: The school forced Mike Gundy into a reduced salary and buyout. Those are fluorescent signs of a school preparing to move on, although the buyout remains significant at $15 million. It would be a seminal moment for a school to fire a coach who has more than 100 more wins than the next most successful coach in school history. Gundy is 169-88, but the program fell off a cliff last year at 3-9. The roster doesn’t offer much optimism for drastic improvement, and essentially the entire coaching staff is new. Gundy has done some of his best work with low expectations, and that’s what OSU has in 2025.

Arizona: Arizona’s dip from 10-3 in Jedd Fisch’s first year to 4-8 in Brent Brennan’s first season has led to scrutiny. Also, there has been a new athletic director brought in since Brennan was hired. The buyout price is steep at $10.6 million, but it’s something Arizona is expected to consider if there’s no improvement. It doesn’t help matters for Brennan that rival Arizona State burst into the CFP in Kenny Dillingham’s second year.

Cincinnati: There have been growing pains entering the Big 12 for the Bearcats, who are 4-14 in league play in the first two years. There’s an expectation for continued improvement in Scott Satterfield’s third year, as he went 3-9 in Year 1 and jumped to 5-7 last year. The Bearcats lost their final five games last year. The buyout tab is nearly $12 million, which is a lot for a school that moved its opener against Nebraska to Kansas City for financial reasons.

Baylor: The temperature on Dave Aranda’s seat has cooled exponentially compared with the past two seasons. He snapped a skid of two losing seasons by going 8-5 last year and 6-3 in the Big 12. A change would require a precipitous downturn, as Aranda is beloved in Waco. There’s an unforgiving schedule, however, that opens with Auburn and a trip to SMU. His buyout is in the $12 million range, and it’s unlikely to be tested.


Group of 5

American: The American might have been the biggest surprise in the 2024 coaching carousel, with FAU, Tulsa and Charlotte all firing coaches after just two seasons. Temple, Rice and East Carolina also fired their coaches. Oddly, the worries over revenue share spending didn’t intimidate these schools from making moves.

There’s really only one job squarely in the crosshairs, and that’s Trent Dilfer at UAB, who is 7-17 in two seasons. He’d be owed nearly $2.5 million if dismissed. UAB has struggled to translate its strong run in Conference USA to the American since joining in 2023.

Conference USA: This also projects to be a quieter year in Conference USA, with only Louisiana Tech having a coach potentially in flux. Sonny Cumbie went 5-8 last year after opening with back-to-back 3-9 seasons. He’ll need continued improvement to stick around for that school’s eventual transition to the Sun Belt. He’d be owed nearly $875,000 if let go, as 2026 is the last year of his deal.

MAC: There’s already one MAC job open, after Kenni Burns’ firing this spring at Kent State. There are significant financial challenges both there and at Akron, which also could be in flux with Joe Moorhead entering Year 4 at 8-28. (He’d be owed about $650,000 if fired, which is significant.) There’s still a market for Moorhead as a college offensive coordinator, which could be the pivot if the Zips don’t get moving. (Perhaps the NFL, too.) Overall, this looks like a quieter year in the MAC.

Mountain West: The lack of a contract extension for Jay Norvell at Colorado State is a smoke signal that a decision is coming. He has just one year left on his deal and would be owed $1.5 million if fired before Dec. 1. He also wouldn’t have to pay any money to go elsewhere. Norvell has an administration that didn’t hire him and, despite solid improvement, there will be speculation over his future until something changes contractually. Colorado State went 8-5 last year and 6-1 in the Mountain West. Norvell is 16-21 in his three years.

Sun Belt: Two coaches will be watched closely here. Tim Beck is 14-12 at Coastal Carolina over two seasons, having reached bowls in each of them. He had the misfortune of replacing Jamey Chadwell, who averaged more than 10 wins over his final three seasons. Beck would be owed $1.5 million if Coastal fired him, and Coastal has both a new athletic director and president. Ricky Rahne at Old Dominion is 20-30 overall and still in search of his first winning season there. He has just one year remaining on his deal after this one, a sign that a decision on his future one way or the other is imminent. He’d be owed $600,000 if fired.

Pac-12: None.

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